I am just a old lump of coal, but I am going to be a diamond someday

Only a few miles from Trenton, Georgia, the late Johnny Cash once spent several hours lost in Nickajack Cave. He was not lost by accident. In his life story he shared that he lost himself in the cave, hoping to die there. Why? He wrote that it was because he felt worthless. He had failed to live up to the standards taught him by his family and church. Instead of dying in the cave, through prayer he discovered that his life was valuable. He found his way out and from that day forward "in Christ" he was a new man, and he helped others, especially prisoners to find new life in Christ. Johnny gave his message of hope through songs. One of those songs was, "I am just a old lump of coal, but I am going to be a diamond someday." A "lump" of coal symbolizes something of little value. When I was a boy, living in the coal camp, some poor folks used to say, "I do notexpect anything more in my Christmas stocking than a 'lump of coal.'" In those days a man working in the coal mines could get a ton of coal delivered from Moore's Coal Company for one dollar. Times were hard. Money was scarce, but we could stay warm in the winter, because coal was cheap. Coal was cheap, but diamonds, which were made from coal, were expensive, and they still are.The Pumpkin Diamond is a diamond measuring 5.54 carats (1.108 g) rated in color as Fancy Vivid Orange by the Gemological Institute of America. The Pumpkin Diamond was mined in Central African Republic and then imported into South Africa for sale, it was later cut and polished by William Goldberg, and put to auction at Sotheby's where it was bought by Ronald Winston of the House of Harry Winston for the price of $1.3 million.

Coal is a readily combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure. When the pressure gets great enough the coal is hardened and becomes what we know as diamond. When coal becomes diamond it will not burn.When Johnny Cash pasted through Trenton on his way to end his life by getting lost in Nickajack Cave he thought the pressures of life were just too great for life to be worth living. But in losing himself in total darkness, words of hope from Gospel songs, his family and church used to sing, gave him enough hope to pray his way out of the cave. Later he sang to prisoners, "I am just an old lump of coal, but I am going to be a diamond someday."

Scriptural Guide: "If anyone is in Christ, the old has pasted away; all things have become new."

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Are you ready for the Super Roll!

Everywhere we go we find people excited about the NFL's coming Super Bowl. It seems that no one wants to miss the biggest football event. The excitement reminds me of the time when LaFollette High's couch, Al Rottela, was getting us ready for our bowl game. He said to us. To do your best in this Big Game you must remember three things: (1) When getting your big chance, do not forget the One who brought you to the dance. (2) We play better when we forget the fancy stuff and focus on what is elementary. (3) We have always been at our best when we put our personal goals secondary, and play as a family team.

Jesus prepared his team of disciples by telling them the story of a young super star leader who took his share of the family wealth and went out on his own. For some time he seemed to prosper, but then far away from his family everything he had invested in fell apart. Instead of fulfilling his dream of being a star in his own "Super Bowl" he became a homeless man in a meaningless "dirty role." Hope came for him when he remembered what he was been taught:

First, while eating with the pigs, "he came to his senses, and said, 'my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!'"

Second, he forgot the fancy stuff and focused on what is elementary, "I will set out and go back to my father." (Luke 15:18)

Third, he decided to no longer go it alone, but asked his father to accept him back on the family team. Couch Jesus told his disciples that the home coming was a wonderful event and the young man became in history, one who has played a "super role" for millions of us who have dreamed in being successful in life's "Super Bowl."

There is no doubt that when Jesus finished the teaching story, they remembered a previous event when they had been rejoicing with how successful they had been in their healing ministry. Jesus guided them by saying, "Do not try to get all your sense of joy from your successful achievements. The most lasting joy comes from knowing that you are part of the Father's family. Your names are written in Heaven's Book. Because you have joined with me, you are on the Father's "Super Roll." (paraphrase of Luke 10:20).